Let’s talk high finance today. – SCN Encourager 7/25/2013

If you’ve got it, flaunt it. If you don’t, just write about it.

Hey, what do you know? I’m able to recycle Tuesday’s headline.

It fit perfectly two days ago when I wrote about my personal approach to “fashion” (unfortunately) and it also fits today in writing about my approach to finances (unfortunately).

But at least I can now prove to the world that I can write “green” – even if only by accident.

So, are you ready to talk some high finance today?

I am.

Not that I have much to contribute to the conversation, though… but how about a speedy-kwik peek into one of our nation’s earliest venture capital firms.

Bessemer Venture Partners was launched in 1911 and is worth more than $1.6 billion today.

It was created by Henry Phipps who was a co-founder of Carnegie Steel with – you guessed it – Andrew Carnegie in 1872.

This long story really can be made short. Just think mega-bucks.

And, as an interesting historical sidenote, my Great Grandpa Page was invited to be an “original partner” when Henry Phipps formed Bessemer Venture Partners 102 years ago.

But apparently, we Pages never learn. Great Grandpa went to see the Tigers vs. the Yankees that day instead, and later invested the entire Page fortune in 1912 in a “more solid investment” called the Titanic.

Anyway, consider this established long-standing financial firm in the light of all of the other traditional financial institutions you know and frequent. Don’t factor in pawn shops. This is about YOUR financial institutions, not mine.

Try to come up with a mental image of the Bessemer Venture Partners website.

The image I came up resembles that old London bank used in the Mary Poppins movie, right down to feeding the birds outside… tuppence a bag… what’s a tuppence? 

I hope your mind picture is in better focus.

Now, take a look at BVP’s website. (BVP = Bessemer Venture Partners)

Does this look like a 102 year-old investment firm to you?

And what do you think of all of the clickable company logos placed so prominently right at the top?

I think BVP nails it. Promoting: Competence. Stability. And PIZZAZZ!  

These are not easy characteristics to combine. But somehow they do.

AND GET THIS – and this one is a very “Gen Y” and “Millennial” component – BVP takes a full page to call special attention to some of their biggest mistakes and miscalculations.

I think they use today’s high regard for “transparency” to have a bit of real-world fun, show that they have a heart, indicate that they are still learning, too – and amplify big-time TRUST.

Take a look at BVP’s “Anti-Portfolio.”

They visually showcase where they’ve “blown it” more than a few times and offer light comments along the way which answer “what were they thinking?”

The Anti-Portfolio is a great example of how BVP publicly acknowledged and displayed their occasional financial “achievement gaps” to illustrate their total commitment to on-going and future  improvement.

It’s impressive.

I sure hope the folks at BVP don’t feel too badly about not securing major stakes in Apple, FedEx, Google, and Intel.

I didn’t either.

Tom Page, SCN